My current organization is moving toward fixed-price, fixed-scope contracts, but they still want to "do Scrum." I'm finding it impossible to handle the change requests without breaking the Sprint. How can a Scrum Master protect the team's self-organization when the scope is locked by a legal contract? Are there specific hybrid models that actually work in this situation?
3 answers
This is "Waterscrumfall" and it’s a trap many agencies fall into. To survive, you must negotiate a "Flexible Scope, Fixed Price" model where the high-level goals are fixed, but the specific features are swappable. I managed a government project in 2024 where we used a "Change Budget." If a new requirement came in, something of equal story point value had to be removed. It requires a very strong relationship with the client and constant education on the value of iterative delivery.
Patricia, that sounds ideal, but what if the client refuses to swap? In many industries, they expect the full original scope PLUS the changes. How do you handle that pressure?
We focus heavily on the "Definition of Done." In fixed-bid, people cut corners on quality to meet dates. I make sure the DoD is non-negotiable to prevent a messy handoff.
Exactly. Lowering quality to meet a fixed date is a short-term win that leads to long-term failure and high maintenance costs.
Jeffrey, that’s where you use the Burndown chart as your evidence. Show them that the team's velocity is a physical limit. You can't fit a gallon of water in a pint glass. If they want more, they have to extend the timeline or increase the budget for a second team.